Tombstone Tuesday–McEwensville Cemetery

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Wednesday, March 29, 1911: Nothing of importance, not one thing. Ruth gave me a piece of her mind tonight. She wants me to keep my mouth shut, not that I say too much, for I am rather bashful, but I’m to breathe though my mouth instead of through my–Darn it, I don’t mean that, I mean vice versa.

McEwensville Cemetery with old McEwensville High School building in background

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

My son and I visited McEwensville over the week-end. We stopped by the abandoned building that once housed McEwensville High School. Now—just as it did a hundred years ago—the school sits next to a cemetery that is filled with the stories of the past. Each marker has its own story to tell . . .

Tombstone of Helen(a) Muffly Swartz and Raymond Swartz

Earlier in the diary I mentioned that Grandma lived her entire life within a 5 mile radius of the farm her family lived on when she kept this diary. The same probably could be said for her sister Ruth. I find it even more amazing how close together they are buried.

Grandma and Ruth are buried within 50 feet of each other in McEwensville Cemetery–and within a few hundred yards of the school they attended when they were young. Both sisters married men who also attended McEwensville High school (and who are also buried in the same cemetery).

Tombstone of Ruth (Muffly) Gauger

Over the years there were times when Grandma and Ruth were close confidants and other times when they were less close; there were “spats” and reconciliations—but for perpetuity in McEwensville Cemetery they will remain close.